I grew up in a small town that has experienced the same ills that the Senator describes. The truth is, people are extremely bitter about their situations and very disappointed of our country and its leaders for allowing it to happen. I know CNN will try to spin it to make him look elitist, the fact remains that the issues we experienced in the 90's (i.e. militias, religious polarization, racial tension) and the issues we face today (i.e. same issues from the 90's, anti-globalization, xenophobia) are a result of that bitterness. Thank you Senator Obama for keeping it real.

Jeff Morris - You're on a roll. Great post.

What Hillary said *Pennsylvanians don't need a President to look down on them* (paraphrasing here) reminds me of another Pres. candidate last time around who proclamined *we don't need someone like you to come down here...* in response to Dean's confederate flag on the truck comment. Hmmmm.

and Howard is first because his fifty state plan makes keeping it real workable in every state

Obama knows what is going on and the inside the beltway types don't have a clue.

when truth telling is a liability to a politician it is time for a little upside down politics to counter

10:32 AM EDT

8.
Jo*in*Vermont
Sat, 04/12/08

Reply to this

the NYT has a good fix on the Obama comments, too.  this is telling - repeating repub talking points.  that's such bs - wise up or go away, Hillary.

...

clip...After making her remarks before a crowd of voters, aides to Mrs. Clinton issued several statements criticizing Mr. Obama, including ones that contained criticism from Republicans. Soon, the McCain campaign also weighed in with criticism of Mr. Obama’s remarks from the California fundraiser.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/11/obama-slams-critics-on-middle-class-comments/

+++

Jo -

I've come to think of both Clinton and McCain as monkeys to each other --

-- monkey see, monkey do.

I think Barack's *not this time* line is appropriate for the Clinton and McCain folks who are all up in arms. It would have been a breath of fresh air if Hillary had said *Barack is right with what he said about small towns in PA - and it's time we do something for these people*. She took the cheap, phoney way out.

At least Borger, Cafferty and Toobin got it right yesterday on CNN.

10:40 AM EDT

Obama has gotten America talking (imagine that, a politician not playing it safe; maybe Hillary supporter Jack Nicholson should advise her from one of Jack's lines in a movie : "you can't handle the truth"):

10:13 AM EDT

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/muncie

Road to Change Town Hall with Barack Obama

Ball State University
Irving Gym
1700 W. Neely Ave.
Muncie, IN 47306

Saturday, April 12, 2008
Doors Open: 7:45 a.m.
Program begins: 9:45 a.m.

The event is free and open to the public

...

This fake outrage reminds me of Dean so much. You tell the truth and the clowns call it a gaffe. You mean to tell me that Hillary hasn't met any sad and bitter people in PA - those who have lost everything?

AP mis-states the facts about the debate in NC. It was Obama who has already agreed to it not Clinton. They've reversed the headline however.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

Jeff Morris-Saugerties wrote:


The MSM needs to realize the clout they have. What they report can have an effect on an election. ...

---

MSM and the Corporate media executives know exactly what they're doing, why and for who. They book the fiddlers and pick the tunes to be played for your entertainment. They like to tell you what to think and tell you how you are to behave. Products are rarely ever new or improved. They just change the packaging or the name to "protect" the innocent.

PT Barnum http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._Barnu...

Wag the Dog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wag_the_Dog...

The Flim-Flam Man http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flim-Fl...

The question you need to ask yourself is, what is your favorite reading material and who's picture is one the cover. And then ask yourself why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI

"Ya Got Trouble"

Repost in the correct thread:

Well, well, I just found an article with the FULL TEXT of Obama's remarks at the fundraiser. And the full remarks are extremely insightful as well as fully truthful:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

Here's what got left out:

In remarks first reported on the Huffington Post Web site, Obama said, "You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them.

"And they fell through the Clinton administration and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are going to regenerate and they have not," he went on. "And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Obama's comments came at the end of a lengthy answer in which he rejected the notion that voters were passing him over simply for racial reasons, saying instead that his campaign of hope and change was having difficulty in "places where people feel most cynical about government."

"Everybody just ascribes it to 'white working-class...don't want to vote for the black guy,'" Obama said at the fundraiser.

"Here's how it is: In a lot of these communities in big industrial states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, people have been beaten down so long. They feel so betrayed by government that when they hear a pitch that is premised on not being cynical about government, then a part of them just doesn't buy it. And when it's delivered by -- it's true that when it's delivered by a 46-year-old black man named Barack Obama, then that adds another layer of skepticism."

Obama then voiced the lines that his opponents have seized upon.

-- volney

6.

* rdorgan
Sat, 04/12/08


I attended Ball State as a commuter student before I transferred to IU in Bloomington. Muncie, IN is not very far from my hometown. Muncie was named after a Native-American Tribal Chief

Note that the part Hillary and McCain want to leave out is the part about the Clinton and Bush administrations being MISERABLE FAILURES when it comes to rejuvenating small town America.

Their idea of that rejuvenation is to let them have a Wal-Mart that will suck all the commerce off Main Street.

And it isn't just the small towns, either. My city is in the same jam. We are so ridiculously happy when local companies choose to stay local that it makes me sick. I have watched my city systematically decline throughout my lifetime and it sure hasn't gotten any better in the last 16 years.

-- volney

Thank you Jeff for a thoughtful blog front.

The "small town America" that Hillary and McSame are blathering about has already gotten the message and they agree with Obama.

Obama is the one who sees and feels what Americans see and feel. The Hillarys and McSames are clearly the ones out of touch with just about everyone.

~~~~~~~~

Once again, there are no kudos for Olbermann and his scripted pundits who all contributed their part lst night in condemning Obama for speaking the truth. Once again, I see that Olbermann can be a mouthpiece for the corporate media whenever they direct him to be so. Sad, but I guess somebody's got to do their dirty work. Why not pick the most-watched show in MSM.

Susan Rowe
Sat, 04/12/08

+++

Susan -

It will be interesting to see what feedback he gets in Muncie.

As for CA, tomorrow looks good for the Obama delegates.  Has Hillary spoken up (or does she not have to worry about an overflow crowd of delegates) ? 

Here's an interesting bit of info from the "Hillary lashes out" reports.

She lashed out at Drexel University. Her rally there, that also included Chelsea, only drew "several hundred".

Contrast that to any Obama rally at any university where attendance is always measured in the thousands.

-- volney

PS How do I post a pciture on here????

"The gods have spoken"

Well, that didn't work either.

I WANNA POST A PICTURE!!!

WAAAAHH WAAAAAHHH!!!

WAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

one the cover s/b on the cover

14.

* rdorgan
Sat, 04/12/08

No, her campaign has changed her/their mind. And yes, perhaps now.

Media verified that Hillary Clinton borrowed GOP talking points to use against Obama.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1985

Shame on her.

volney simmons,

You need to change the setting from plain text to rich text.

HERE: http://www.blogforamerica.com/settings

Since Hillary is only drawing several hundred to her college rallies perhaps that's why she won't do the Hardball College Tour with Tweety. She's afraid no one will turn up. LOL.

Off to lacrosse. Hubby is off to do his civic duty as a delegate for Barack. Daughter in tow.

Obama made a mistake in how he worded what he said. Those mistakes are going to be picked up & talked about just as all of Bill Clinton's & Hillary Clinton's mistakes are picked up & talked about. Obama is now clarifying what he said & using different words to describe his point. If he had used those to begin with he would not be in this situation. What does it prove? It proves he's human.

What I read here, though, is many of you being very defensive & excusing what was said & how it was said. Then going on & blaming both Hillary & McCain because they have picked up on his mistake.

Why not look at it with an open mind..I ask, will this affect white blue collar rural voters? Will they still vote for him? Because in the general, those votes are needed, badly & have previously not gone to the dems, all the time,but went to Reagon, for example. We can't win Pennsylvania in Nov. without them. 

12:04 PM EDT

the truth from a man named King in a small town in PA::

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ci_8897369?source=most_viewed

My name appeared in a Public Opinion article as the Warren Township Tax Collector that changed parties for the opportunity to vote for Barack Obama. I made this decision only after careful consideration.

There are those that have difficulty understanding why this candidate attracts so much attention. "How dare he?" "It is not his turn!" He has yet to bow down and kiss the ring of the party leadership.

Therefore, it must be a cult. And thereby, I joined the cult. I didn't even get to shave my head or wear a white robe and hang out in airports, or any of that fun stuff.

A cult?

If fiscal responsibility in government is a cult, count me in.

If bringing our troops home instead of shedding blood so Iraqi officials can squabble over power and oil is a cult, then count me in.

If ending partisan politics is a cult, then count me in.

If making this country the leader in the fight against global warming instead of a roadblock is a cult, then count me in. If restoring the name of the United States of America to be held high and not known as a country that tortures is a cult, then count me in.

If solving the big issues of social security, health care and illegal immigration is a cult, then count me in.

If ending our reliance on oil is a cult, then count me in.

We need leaders that can take us from this brink and restore our financial strength and restore the good name of the United States of America. We need leaders that work to solve problems without regard to party affiliation. We need leaders that will invest in and bring jobs back to America. We need Barack Obama.

David King

Mercersburg

One more diary then I've really got to scoot. This from wmtrialawyer over at Daily Kos. Elitism...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

Obama said "small town Americans cling to religion, guns, and oppose illegal immigration? .

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jeff,

I appreciate your candor.........but can I ask you what country have you ben living in for the past, say 25 years or so?   Obama, clearly just pointed out to those offended a basic mirror............problem is, mirrors can be ugly sometimes........right?

Obama, and Michelle for her "unpatriotic" staement last month are, well..........finished...Im sorry and wish it were not so but its, well over..............Mccain and the repubs will have a field day with these things this Fall...................

Its over............dont blame me though, blame the voters.............

12:14 PM EDT

One more diary then I've really got to scoot.

...

+++

mary vb -

Stay safe (and proudly display that Obama sticker).  We are ALL in this together.

12:15 PM EDT

Michael Ellis
Sat, 04/12/08

+++

Yawn.

12:17 PM EDT

Well, off to do some yardwork, in my small town American town.

* rdorgan
Sat, 04/12/08
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

You will be doing alot of yawning come November rd....................I give BO a 1 in 10 chance of pulling it off..........................again, its the average person that simply wont take a chance in his direction...................people simply will not accept the truth.................not my problem

You will be doing alot of yawning come November

Michael

Why do you write such ridiculous statements that are meant to inflame?

 If you have a bone to pick with the world for some reason, why not just take it elsewhere, like the McCain or Clinton website. They must be used to comments like yours.

Obama made a mistake in how he worded what he said.

jao,

Do you call telling it like it is a mistake? I don't.

As long as everyone gets the point, there is no mistake in the wording with his remarks or anyone's remarks.

Volney, when you change your settings to rich, there should be a tool box strip along the top of your comment box.  Select the one with the tree and put the URL for your image in the address box.  You can only display pictures that are already on the web and have a URL.  If you want to share a personal picture that's on your computer, you can upload it to you DFALink group into the photos file.  once you have it there, be sure to maximize the image (rather than getting the address for the thumb-print and then copy and past the URL for it into the comment box, as above. If you're using an image from the web, be sure to click the info or orientation line in the drop down and look  at the dimensions.  if the size is significantly larger than in the 300 x 550 range, the image won't fit into the blog properly.  You can manually reduce the dimensions keeping the ratios about the same.  For example, you might want to reduce 600x800 to 300x400. 

Obama said "small town Americans cling to religion, guns, and oppose illegal immigration? .

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jeff,

I appreciate your candor.........but can I ask you what country have you ben living in for the past, say 25 years or so?   Obama, clearly just pointed out to those offended a basic mirror............problem is, mirrors can be ugly sometimes........right?.........................................

  Yes Michael Ellis. That was my point. Obama dared to speak a little truth, and the MSM went way over the top with it.  I was born and raised right here in the good old "Small Town" USA all my life Michael. I'm just having a little trouble with what's happened to the good old  USA after seven years under the Decider. That's all I think Obama was trying to say too.

Obama needs to simply do a mea culpa, admit he spoke without thinking it through, and apologize to any who might be offended. Today preferably.

Don't do as Hillary and endure criticism for a week, then make a lame excuse under duress after the damage is done.

I give BO a 1 in 10 chance of pulling it off

Fortunately for Obama, you don't have a clue. 

Do you call telling it like it is a mistake? I don't.

Saying anything that could hurt your own campaign is a mistake. But it's a little one if he puts out the fire before it becomes a conflagrtion. 

One day he makes the Hilladroids mad. The next he makes the Obamabots mad.

And of course he makes the McBushniks mad every day. 

He must be telling the truth. 

1:30 PM EDT

NAFTAGATE - Hillary is still lying:

http://www.agweekly.com/articles/2008/04/12/news/ag_news/news15.txt

Clinton continues to assert she opposed free trade from the start

WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is pressing her claim that she opposed her husband’s free trade push when he was president, despite her favorable words about it at the time.

...

31.

Michael Ellis
Sat, 04/12/08


You will be doing alot of yawning come November rd....................I give BO a 1 in 10 chance of pulling it off..........................again, its the average person that simply wont take a chance in his direction...................people simply will not accept the truth.................not my problem
--------------

Oh boy, you sound too pessimistic, Mike.

Social changes are inevitable and happens when realization of its necessity riches critical level.
You think it is now rather soon..., others think it’s slightly late..., we’ll see.

40.

Sitka
Sat, 04/12/08

Do you call telling it like it is a mistake? I don't.
------------
Saying anything that could hurt your own campaign is a mistake. But it's a little one if he puts out the fire before it becomes a conflagrtion.
************

....yeah, that’s how history fights its way through.
It makes "mistake" after "mistake"..., after "mistake".

That was the Dean’s campaign “mistake” with the scream..., then “mistakes” of Iraqis fighting and dying..., then Ron Paul's campaign making “mistakes” one after another (to which Obama just now is starting coming closer to...).

Never truth telling could be a mistake!

1:45 PM EDT

Is this the mindset of the typical Hillary supporter ? (the person isn't even courageous enough to put a name to her/his post):

http://www.theoutlookonline.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=120760314372978000

...

Clinton could have beat McCain but no Obama had to come and screw it all up. Poor Dems, they lose AGAIN.

(Not verified)

Wed, Apr 09, 2008 at 09:00 PM

...

former
Sat, 04/12/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Not pessimistic, realistic.............based on ken and acute observations of Ameicans since 1980.............if Im wrong..fantastic.................all the way to the bank!

1:55 PM EDT

40.

Sitka
Sat, 04/12/08

Do you call telling it like it is a mistake? I don't.
------------
Saying anything that could hurt your own campaign is a mistake. But it's a little one if he puts out the fire before it becomes a conflagrtion.
************

....yeah, that’s how history fights its way through.
It makes "mistake" after "mistake"..., after "mistake".

That was the Dean’s campaign “mistake” with the scream..., then “mistakes” of Iraqis fighting and dying..., then Ron Paul's campaign making “mistakes” one after another (to which Obama just now is starting coming closer to...).

Never truth telling could be a mistake!

+++

former -

I got to admit that I back you or your statement. 

This country of ours is so damn divided because we are afraid to talk about prejudices, scapegoats, boogiemen, you name it -- most Americans feel powerless to change things now and vent it by blocking anything new that comes down the path -- they lash out at gays, athetists, latte-drinkers, Volvo drivers, or parents with school kids trying to get funding, etc.

Obama is doing his best to try to understand people who are different than him.  Is Clinton doing the same ?  Is McCain doing the same ?

Jeez, I'd rather have somewho gets America talking about taboo subjects, than one who purposefully divides the country through 50.1 % politics and legislation.

44.

Michael Ellis
Sat, 04/12/08

Not pessimistic, realistic.............based on ken and acute observations of Ameicans since 1980.............
-----------------

Yep, it won’t be easy also...., to switch from “observation” to “participation”.

1:56 PM EDT

former -

typo - I got to admit that I back you or your statement

s/b - I got to admit that I back you on your statement

Yes, former, that's the advantage of the pessimist.  If he's wrong, everybody's happy.  if he's right, he turns out happy.  lol

I have a friend like that.  He always predicts the worst and I've learned to appreciate it.  LOL 

44.

* rdorgan
Sat, 04/12/08
-------------
I agree, he sounds sincere.

1:57 PM EDT

Michael -

I frankly don't care if you're right or wrong about Obama's chances of winning --

-- all I know, is when the going gets tough --

IMO you get going with cop-out talk of "it's over".

The problem with Reagan wasn't just that he was an actor, but that the brought the whole "entertainment industry" to Washington.  So, for the last twenty-eight years the American people have been provided with the longest -running melodrama imaginable.  It might actually fit into the "situation comedy" classification, but the comedy part was very thin. 

Anyway, we've had PR people and script-writers who came up with a new situation for every week, interspersed with the occasional re-run.

There's a reason why TV and the movies are so terrible.  All the "good" talent, including the fund raisers, moved to Washington.

Remember that Jim Carrey movie, 'Pleasantville?"

Why has Oprah's popularity dropped?  Because Ellen and Barack are more interesting people.  Instead of talking about Oprah around the water cooler, they're talking about Obama. 

"Never truth telling could be a mistake!"

In politics, it depends on the words one chooses to tell the truth.

"Not pessimistic, realistic.............based on ken and acute observations of Ameicans since 1980............."

By the simple formula that Republicans always win, Clinton shouldn't have by a long shot. Michael lives in awe of the GOP attack machine without realizing that it's only effective when left unchallenged; as all the Democrats since 1980 (but Clinton) made the mistake of doing.

IMO - Obama was speaking from his heart, some insights of understanding - but he's vulnerable because he is not as well-known - Hillary framed it as patronizing.

  "where the hell does that intelligent black man come off analyzing you poor white trash?"

She's got some mean rough people working for her, and she mean enough to deliver the goods.

"Never truth telling could be a mistake!"

****************************************

In politics, it depends on the words one chooses to tell the truth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Not pessimistic, realistic.............based on ken and acute observations of Ameicans since 1980............."

***************************************

By the simple formula that Republicans always win, Clinton shouldn't have by a long shot. Michael lives in awe of the GOP attack machine without realizing that it's only effective when left unchallenged; as all the Democrats since 1980 (but Clinton) made the mistake of doing.

44.

Michael Ellis
Sat, 04/12/08

===========

Understand your pathos, mike, that's why I'm learning Swedish, but we may as well do some good while we are stuck here - keeping a positive attitude ain't easy, bloke.

52.

Sitka
Sat, 04/12/08


"Never truth telling could be a mistake!" In politics, it depends on the words one chooses to tell the truth.
-------------

Sure, especially because there is NO “politics”, there IS “life” where words mean a lot and where truth could be described by many different words and still stays as truth.

Beautiful day here in Southern Oregon, 70 degrees, sunny 50% ;humidity - when the weather breaks for summer it stays that way - don't know if this is it or not -  Fall, winter Springs, we get lots of clouds, moisture,  and rain in the NW, even inland, if not east of the Cascades (like Sierra Nevadas)

Hillary's attack could backfire, if she is seen as attacking frivolously and twisting the facts - the jury is still out.

The problem with Reagan

====================

It could be summed up in the SNL skit his liberal son did on  Back to the Future  - he was a liberal deep down, who was inadvertantly and unwittingly a patsy for the neocons, and he did not even know it half the time.  That 's why he had universal appeal.  The neocons loved him for turning the tide in their direction but hated him when he tried to be even-handed and sensitive to the disenfranchised.   His greatest misconception was that Americans were "overtaxed and overregulated.

This is what led to 911.  Cutting back on fundamental services like intelligence services, so they could cut taxes and could build more ships and missiles at the same time.

Fred,
Learning Swedish eh?
Pretty soon you will sound like the chef on "The Muppets"

....By the simple formula that Republicans always win, Clinton shouldn't have by a long shot. Michael lives in awe of the GOP attack machine without realizing that it's only effective when left unchallenged; as all the Democrats since 1980 (but Clinton) made the mistake of doing

===================

I don't know if Mike's apathy is all that off-the-mark.  There are a substantial number of right-wing conservatives in this country.  That's why Bill felt he had to compromise on things like welfare reform.  That's why 3/4 of the Senate voted for Kyl-Lieberman.

We may be going through a liberal revolution now, but it is too early to tell.  People in this country still have a trememdous amount of awe and respect for wealth and power, and poverty still sucks.  Pride is a real killer and it may take a real long marathon economic disaster to make people change.

People still believe in the cowboy myth of independence (while black provided cheap labor for the economic engine, and we had endless acres of land to steal from the native Americans) which mean bountiful plenty with no tax or common contribution in return.

dog, just got my wife a cookbook on Swedish cooking. LOL

Obama made a mistake in how he worded what he said.

jao,

Do you call telling it like it is a mistake? I don't.

As long as everyone gets the point, there is no mistake in the wording with his remarks or anyone's remarks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh yes there is..He is even saying now he should have used different words to describe &make his point. he is very gifted with his words & his wonder inspiring speeches. He knows there's a difference.

You & I both know that Martin Luther King used terminology to describe his own race that could not be used today without a lot of problems for the person who used them.  So wording & words makes a difference.   Time passing makes a difference.  

It is now becoming a vicious circle.  In the past the immigrants were the manure that fertilized the economy, but with harder times, the right wing has convinced people that immigrants are competiting for the same space and wealth, instead of being an economic asset.

things could really spiral out of control with this kind of paradox.

That's why Bill felt he had to compromise on things like welfare reform.

That was after he and Hillary botched the health insurance legislation and lost Congress in 1994.

But that's irrelevant to the point I made that Clinton was the only Dem presidential candidate since 1980 to never let the smears and attacks of the GOP go uncountered. And that's why he won twice.

Obama and his campaign have shown that same kind of smart.

But that's irrelevant to the point I made that Clinton was the only Dem presidential candidate since 1980 to never let the smears and attacks of the GOP go uncountered....

=============

I might agree.  I was not countering that point. I really wasn't observant of that factor at the time.  Kerry and Edwards, and maybe Gore, let the neocons snatch failure from the jaws of certain victory.  That's when I started noticing the elitist mentality the prevents Democrats from getting down in the mud and wrestling.

Obama does it very well, better than I've seen since "I don't remember" - and he does it without getting down in the mud, with humor and articulation (uh-oh, I used the "A" word) although that doesn't prevent the MSM of making the implication that he does get dirty.

So sorry

has s/b has not

big difference

---

20.

Susan Rowe
Sat, 04/12/08

14.

* rdorgan
Sat, 04/12/08

No, her campaign has changed her/their mind. And yes, perhaps now.